Isle of Man charities receive £1,000 each from Pilates world record event

Independent stockbroking and investment management firm Ramsey Crookall has confirmed that 22 island charities will each receive £1,000 following the Pilates World Record Attempt and Wellness Festival held at Knockaloe in July.

The event, which was organised as part of the Douglas firm's 80th anniversary celebrations in collaboration with 34Moves and government agency Visit Isle of Man, brought nearly 3,000 people together on the day for a memorable celebration of movement, wellbeing and community.

A total of £21,289.12 was raised through event registration fees and the raffle held on the day. Ramsey Crookall is ensuring that each of the 22 participating charities receives £1,000.

The charities supported are: Cruse Bereavement Support; Culture Vannin; Diverse Minds Community; Ed Space; Forget Me Not; Great North Air Ambulance Service; Hospice; Isle Listen; Mannin Cancer Help Centre; Manx Children's Art Therapy; Manx Family Community Association; Motiv8 Addiction Services; Sight Matters; St John Ambulance; The Children's Centre; Crossroads Isle of Man; Manx Wildlife Trust; Diana Princess of Wales Hospice Care at Home Trust; Mannin Cancer Support Group; Manx Mencap; Isle Stand Up to Suicide and Manx Breast Cancer Support Group.

Joanna Crookall, chief executive of Ramsey Crookall, said: ‘Our 80th anniversary gave me an opportunity to do something genuinely special for the Isle of Man.

‘The event at Knockaloe brought 2,804 people together, celebrated an extraordinary part of our island's history and ultimately resulted in a world record achievement.

‘It was also fantastic to welcome so many visitors from outside the island. Having around one in five attendees come from off-island demonstrates the potential for events rooted in our unique history and identity to attract new audiences and support the island's visitor economy.

‘From the beginning, I wanted the event to make a meaningful contribution to the community that Ramsey Crookall has been proud to call home for the past 80 years.

‘We are therefore delighted that 22 island charities will each receive £1,000. These organisations make an enormous difference to people across the island every day, and we hope this funding will help them continue that invaluable work.

‘My sincere thanks go to every person who attended, volunteered, donated, bought a raffle ticket, worked at the event or helped make the day possible. This is something the whole island can be proud of.

‘From the outset, the event was also designed to showcase the Isle of Man as a destination, bringing together its history, community and connection with Pilates. The strong level of off-island attendance further highlighted the potential for distinctive events of this kind to support tourism and raise the island's profile internationally.’

The event’s wellness festival and charity village gave charitable organisations an opportunity to engage directly with those attending Knockaloe and raise awareness of the services, support and initiatives they provide throughout the Isle of Man.